The Iowa plain dealer. [volume] (New Oregon, Howard County, Iowa) 1867-1895, 1887-07-21

they starved or reinforccmcnts arrived.
The rcinforcements that were need
ed and should have been forwarded TO
General RoSecrans before the battle of
Chickamauga were now being sent for
ward. General Hooker, with the
Eleventh and Twelfth Army Corps.
commanded by Howard and Slocnm,
arrived at Nashville. Tenn. early II.
October. taking position along the
Nashville. and Chattanooga Railroad.
securing il from the raids Of the rebel
cavalry. while large quantities Of sup
plies were being accumulated at Steven
son and Bridgeport ready to b. for
waraed TO the belcagured army 1T Chat
tanoga a> soon rs communication could
be opened. General Rosecrans had
found it impossible to supply his army
by wagon train over the mountains,
and had wisely concluded to utilize the
river as far as possible. The railroad
from Bridgeport to Chattanooga could
not be used until Bragg's force was
driven from Lookout Valley and noun
tain. The Tennessee river could be used
as far asKelly> Ferry, then by wag-
on some six or eight miles to Brown :
Ferry across Moccasin Point. again
crossing the river at Chattanooga.
making the entire distance for supplies
to he hauled by wagons ten or twelve
miles. General Rosccrans. with his
chief engineer, was busilv engaged on
the plans Of this work. when the order
came relieving him from the command
Of the Army and Department of the
Cumberland. At the same time was
receivd the order creating the Mill
tary Division of the Mississippi, under
General Grant. and assigning General
George IL. Thomas as the successor of
General Rosecrans. In complying with
this order General Rosecrans severed
his connection with the Army of the
Cumberland And in bidding him fare
well can truthfully state that the love
and confidence of the Army of the
Cumberland went with him. What
Mcclellan was to the Army Of the Po-
tomac Rosecrans was to the Army OF
Cumberland. The new commander.
General Thomas, came not like his pred
ecessor. stranger; he had been
/
berland from its organization. formin.
its first division at Camp Dick Robin
son. Kentucky, in September. 1861. and
with which he gained his first
victory. defeating General Zollicoflel
on the 18th Of January, 1862. at Mil
Springs. Kentucky. After the arm,
was divided into corps he commanded
the Fourteenth. the center ol
the army, and upon his skill
and judgement every commander ol
that army relied. while every soldier
Of that army knew that in .Pal
Thomas" aS he was fimiliarly called
he had a friend.
General Grant. upon assuming com
mand Of the military division Of til,
! Mississippi. tclegraphed General Thorn
! as to hold Chattanooga at al hazards
His reply was characteristic of the man
I'VE will hold the town TIL we Star,e. :
| General Grant soon after arrived il
! Chattanooga, and with Generals Thorn
a and Smith. the chief engineer If til,
/ army, examined and approved the plal
+ of General RoSecrans for supplying tn,
J army via Browns and kclly's ferries
, Genera! Thomas received instruction
| to execute the plan agreed upon
! General Hooker. with the Eleventh
!, Corps and one division Of the Twelfth
Geary's. had already been ordered t,
Bridgeport, where they were joined b
"A division of the Fourth Corps. com
manded by Gen. John NJ. Palmer. q,
). the 10Th day Of Oct. General Hooker
: force crossed the river at Bridgeport an
! commenced their eastward marcel
) To cooperate with Hooker'S move
ment the two brigadcs Of Generals Ha
, zen and Turchin were detailed an,
. placed under the command of Gen
eral w. +. Smith, the chief engineer o
: the army for the capture of Brown Fer
: ry. Early on the evening of the Goth o
! Oct Turchin brigade, with a battery o
q artillery. crossed the river at Chatta
: nooga and halted under cover of tn
: woods beyond until midnight. whel
= they marched across Moccassin Poin
Z to the vicinity of Browns Ferry. A
: midnight the troops of General Hazel
i embarked in pontoon boats and silent
Q ly tioated down the river, keeping clos
: to the right or northern shore, passin:
= the rebel pickets they arrived mt the fer
q ry about o'clock on the morning o
i the 9th. As they headed their boat
: for the southern shore they were greet
: ed with "A volley from the rebel picket
4 at that station. Making the landin;
! they quickly disembarked and droy
. the rebels from the crest of the hill cI
o the left Of the ferry road and commenc
: cd the work Of intrenching their pc
. sition, while the boats were brough
/ chin's troops. The rebels We're rein
. forced and made an attack on Hazen'
f position, but were gallantly rcpul~ed
. The boats were quickly filled and start
|, ed for the southern side. As the
/ ncared the shore they were met BY yol
. leys of musketIy from the rebels on tn
!. right::of the gorge. Quickly landing the
= charged the Hill and drove the rebels
i the valley beyond, and the work Of il
Q trenching the position commenced.
). As soon as the last of Turchin's trool
$ were brought over laying Of the POI
t toon bridge commenced. and by moo
d of the 9th the work was complete
+ and the artillery brought over and pla'
le ell in position. On the evening Of I'll
J. 9th Hooker's command arrived at I'll
e head of the valley, going into cam
n about two miles from the ferry. wit
:. the exception Of General Geary's diyi
e ion, who encamped near Wauhatchi'
W some two or three miles from Howard
N Eleventh Corps. guarding the road
A. kelly's Ferry. Longstreet, in con
is mand of the forces on Lookout Noun
er ain and in the valley beyond Looko,
IL creek, could from his elevated positio
" see all the movements made by Il
N troops in the valleys below and II
.r position of Howard's and Geary troop
er Designing and planning a night attac
| ,,,<n tha fy., fnr.as bn al